The main teaching functions of broadcast and recorded video include:

• Imparting visually or conceptually dense information
• Providing case studies
• Triggering reflection for group discussion
• Providing vicarious experiences, such as substituting for a field trip, providing "real life" material for analysis, demonstrating experiments, and enabling learners to see experts "in the flesh."

While visual media should be interesting and may be entertaining, producers must concentrate on learning objectives. So the appearance of the visual media for a distance education course may differ from that of other visual media that the learner is accustomed to. It may take some effort to develop skills in using video as a learning tool.